As I briefly noted here last night, I was dragooned into our team coverage here at the Daily News into the story of Bonnie Sweeten, the blondiful suburban mom who reported the dramatic "kidnapping" of herself and her 9-year-old daughter, a fable that was summed up by a great DN headline after it was learned they'd really fled to Disney's Magic Kingdom: "Fantasyland."
So many questions. The biggest one, which is why do people do such things, will likely remain an eternal mystery -- even Sweeten herself probably couldn't explain why she upended so many lives.
But here's two other things that have me troubled by this case.
1) From Minute One, this story stank to high heaven. Stranger kidnappings like the one that Sweeten described in her 911 calls are rare beyond belief, and the absence of either her SUV or any eyewitnesses to the abduction at a crowded intersection on Street Road in Bucks County all screamed out, "Hoax!" It was still a very serious incident -- the whereabouts of a 9-year-girl were indeed unknown. But I wonder why there wasn't some way for the media to better signal the skepticism much earlier, and more clearly, in its wall-to-wall coverage.
That's especially true for national cable media, which -- if it were a fish -- would only survive in the water for 5 minutes, given its ability to swallow any rancid bait...hook, line, and sinker. Isn't there some way to report the basics -- that people are looking for a 9-year-old girl -- while noting that the initial frantic report to the cops was just that, a report that could have nothing to do with the girl's actual whereabouts?
2) Others are starting to weigh in on this, and it's hard to know what to say beyond the fact I'm flat-out disgusted at the repeated pattern of white suburban wrongdoers --Boston's Charles Stuart, Susan Smith, and now our own Bonnie Sweeten -- who think they can cover up their own crimes by simply saying "a black man did it." Are we ever going to get past that sort of thing in America?
Jerry Mondesire of the local NAACP is on the money here:
J. Whyatt Mondesire, Philadelphia NAACP president, called the case "a disgusting reminder of Susan Smith" - the South Carolina woman who drowned her two children in 1994 but blamed a nonexistent black carjacker - "where the cops fell for it." He added: "While we have an African-American in the White House, obviously a lot of minds need changing."
Comment removed.
The "white suburbanites" who have the mental breakdowns or committ the bizzarre crimes shouldn't take ALL of the blame for pointing the finger at the "mystery criminal minority member". The media has been hoaxed enough times now that THEY should be held acountable for perpetuating this problem. The fact is, it works! and it works because the media allows it to work.— swash1- keep bringing up racism i the news. That will help. /sarcasm— MichaelB
- All of the local coverage I read had a degree of skepticism in the articles. While I admitedly didn't watch any of the national coverage of this story, the "frantic report to the cops" was what made it a national story. Good Morning America probably doesn't care that a 9-year old disappeared. But mention that she and her mom was kidnapped after a fender bender by SBM (Scary Black Men) and now we have a story!— Captain Awesome
- yes, alot of minds do need changing, starting with you Mondesire! Such a selective memory...typical— raondrejka
- Don't forget the white McCain supporter who claimed a black male held her down and carved a (backwards) "B" into her face. They cry "black man!" because they think it will work.. and it usually does, for a while anyway. Sad.— rin
- Since the majority of crimes in the Philadelphia MSA are committed by black males then it's actually quite logical that Sweeten would use that description in trying to make her lies sound more credible/believable.— EnoughAlready
- Comment removed.
- As soon as I heard "two black males" and that her car was found near where they believed the cell calls originated, I was sure it was a hoax and that she had fled the state.— citizenkane
- Will Bunch you are so self-righteous. Of all the troubling items in this whole mess, you have the most trouble with blaming black men? It is a meaningless tidbit. The women put her 9 year old daughter in harms way. Stick to the important stuff. Also, you look like a massive tool with your coffee mug.— jman22
- Our society needs a boogeyman to keep the peace. For African Americans it is simply "the man." For white suburbanites its the angry black man. These caricatures are used to keep us scared and fighting amongst ourselves rather than the systems designed to placate and control us. Besides, if everyone adhered to the two greatest commandments (love God with everything you've got, love one's neighbor as oneself), then we wouldn't need cops or armies or governments or priests. I know. It's utopian, but I hear Utopia is a really nice place to live.— Phrossty
- Your assessment of the rampant racism which is simply taken for granted in suburban Philadelphia seems to me absolutely correct. I am a white man who lives in Center City and worked in Villanova for years. The prejudiced assumptions about race were widespread, and assumed to be almost universally shared. The Philadelphia suburbs are where many white people live to cope with their fears of "black males," so it's probably safe for them to act on the presumption that other people share their perceptions. Bonnie Sweeten no doubt believed that her story would be credible because besides being crazy, she's also racist in a way that goes unquestioned in the suburbs. This doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of racists in Philadelphia, but I think that those of us who live are are confronted more often with situations in which our assumptions and percpetions based on race are potentially challenged by ourselves and others.— Draco
- Comment removed.
Of all the white, suburban wrongdoers out there, you find three and see a "repeated-pattern" and imply that suburbia is lilly white and, by definition, racist. The fact she lives in the suburbs is of no matter other than to paint blanket generalizations of suburban people. You accusation smacks of the racism you pretend to be so outraged about.— jmc- Where are our friends today with the racists rantings?? We know your heads almost blew off when you realized one of yours is a nut. I know it was too much for most of you to bear when you found out the "dreaded black man" didn't do this. Her stoy never made sense from the start, to anyone with half a brain. I'm waiting......cause I don't hear any of you........ (Listning)........— philligurl
Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.
E-mail Will by clicking here.
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